The Earth's crust is a mosaic of slow-moving tectonic plates, creating stresses that cause earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. A recent study was published in the journal Gondwana Researchrecorded unusual tectonic movements on the Iberian Peninsula. The earth's crust beneath the Iberian Peninsula rotates slowly clockwise.
“Each year the Eurasian and African plates move closer to each other by 4-6 mm. The boundaries between the plates around the Atlantic Ocean and Algeria are very clear, while in the southern Iberian Peninsula the boundaries are much fainter and more complex,” said Asier Madarieta-Thurruka, a geologist at the University of the Basque Country and a researcher at the Aquatic Ecological Processes Group at the Crustal European University.
The Iberian Peninsula is a tectonically important region, especially the Gibraltar Arc area, where the Mediterranean Sea joins the Atlantic Ocean.
Adjacent to the northern coast of the African continent, the peninsula juts out into the sea. However, its southern tip is the most mysterious. The Gibraltar Arc, a dense mountain range that forms the border between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean, is an extremely complex and seismically active region.
In the western Atlantic, tensions are transmitted almost directly between the African and Eurasian plates. But in the south, in the Gibraltar Dougle area and the Algeria-Balearic area, part of the stress is absorbed by the weakened crust or distributed over complex structures.
Because the peninsula acts as a “bridge” between two plates, the African plate and the Eurasian plate, scientists want to understand how the slow rotation of the Iberian plate affects seismic activity in Africa and Europe. To do this, they used satellite observations and seismic data to monitor deformation of the Earth's surface. Like two cars approaching each other, two signs are likely about to collide, and attention should be paid to possible earthquakes. Small surface deformations can be signals of accumulated stress, which can lead to earthquakes.
Although the rotation rate of the Iberian plate is extremely slow and it takes millions of years for the plates to collide, this research will help scientists assess possible threats and prepare for potential disasters.
